Bismarck Man Charged Over Sex Offenses

(Iron County, MO) A man from Bismarck, 43 year old Michael Edward Barton, is in custody and facing charges after he was arrested Sunday at Elephant Rocks State Park on sexually related offenses. Reports indicate Barton is a prior sex offender who was found to have two male juveniles, ages 12 and 8, in his car at the park. State Park Rangers performed a traffic stop and found the boys with Barton in his automobile. He had also been seen within 500 feet of a playground. Barton was found to have two cell phones in his possession. During the encounter with Rangers Barton attempted to flee but was captured. The phones were taken as evidence. Barton is charged with six felonies including endangering the welfare of a child, one count of a sex offender physically Present, or loitering, within 500 Feet of a park, three counts of failure to register as a sex offender, and one count of resisting or interfering with a felony arrest. He's considered a risk to the two boys, and the community, so he is still in custody.